1941–42 Brentford F.C. season

Brentford
1941–42 season
Chairman Louis P. Simon
Manager Harry Curtis
Stadium Griffin Park
London League 9th
London War Cup Winners
War Cup Winners' Match Draw
Top goalscorer League: Perry (16)
All: Perry (20)
Highest home attendance 12,000
Lowest home attendance 3,000
← 1940–41 1942–43 →

During the 1941–42 English football season, Brentford competed in the London League, due to the cessation of competitive football for the duration of the Second World War. Despite scoring over 80 goals in what proved to be a forgettable season in the league, the Bees won the London War Cup, emerging victorious in what is as of June 2016, the club's only victory at Wembley Stadium.

Season summary

Pre-war Brentford wing half Tally Sneddon returned to the club as a guest from Swansea Town in January 1942.

With the Second World War in full swing, the Football League's London clubs took a stand against the Football League and its upcoming regional competition for the 1941–42 season, citing the financial difficulties of raising a team during wartime and having to travel long distances to away matches.[1] The rebel clubs broke away and would compete in the London League during the 1941–42 season.[1] Brentford began the season with a heavily depleted squad, with no goalkeeper available for the entirety of the season and just five of the club's 12 available outfield players made over 30 appearances during the 40-match campaign.[2] Despite 16 goals in 19 appearances and 14 in 24 from returning guest forwards Eddie Perry and Douglas Hunt respectively,[2] Brentford finished 9th of 16 teams in the London League.[3] The team scored 80 goals, but the lack of a first team goalkeeper saw eight guests wear the jersey and concede 76 goals between them.[3]

After finishing as runners-up in the previous season's London War Cup final,[4] attentions turned to the 1941–42 edition of the competition when the group stage kicked off on 21 March 1942.[2] Aided by goals from all across the forward line,[2] Brentford finished the group stage unbeaten as leaders.[5] The Bees faced Arsenal in the semi-final at Stamford Bridge, drawing 0–0.[2] The two sides met again for the replay White Hart Lane a fortnight later, with goals from George Wilkins, Douglas Hunt and a late penalty save from John Jackson ensuring Brentford's passage through to the final versus Portsmouth, who had beaten Charlton Athletic in the other semi-final on 26 April.[1] Brentford and Portsmouth faced off at Wembley Stadium on 30 May and two goals from Les Smith saw the Bees run out 2–0 winners, in what is still the Bees' only victory at Wembley Stadium.[6] The 69,792 crowd is still the largest attendance at any Brentford match.[7] Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers met in a North versus South cup winners' charity match a week later, drawing 1–1 at Stamford Bridge to bring an end to the 1941–42 season.[2]

On the night of 1/2 March 1942, Percy Saunders, a pre-war Brentford player, was killed when his ship was torpedoed in the Indian Ocean.[8] The inside forward had made his final appearance for the club in January 1940 and was serving as a sergeant in the 18th Divisional Workshops of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps.[9] Saunders was the only former Brentford player to be killed in action during the Second World War.[9]

Tables

London League

PosClubPWDLFAPts
8Charlton Athletic3014511726433
9Brentford3014214807630
10Queens Park Rangers3011316525925

Source: Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

London War Cup Group 2

PosClubPWDLFAPts
1Brentford642017910
2Queens Park Rangers623115127
3Millwall6213875
4 Aldershot 6 1 0 5 8 20 2

Source: A Record Of British Wartime Football[5]

Results

Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend

Win Draw Loss

London League

No. DateOpponentVenueResult AttendanceScorer(s)
1 30 August 1941ArsenalH4–1 12,000Hapgood (og), Wilkins, Perry, L. Smith
2 6 September 1941Queens Park RangersA4–3 8,000Hunt, Wilkins, Perry
3 13 September 1941ReadingH3–2 6,100Perry (2), Wilkins
4 20 September 1941Brighton & Hove AlbionA2–2 5,000Perry, Hunt
5 27 September 1941Clapton Orient A3–1 3,500Perry, L. Smith, Hopkins
6 4 October 1941Crystal Palace H1–2 5,000Perry
7 11 October 1941FulhamA3–4 6,000Townsend, Smale, Perry
8 18 October 1941Tottenham HotspurH1–4 6,000Hunt
9 25 October 1941PortsmouthA1–2 5,000Hunt
10 1 November 1941Chelsea H3–1 4,650Perry, James, Hunt
11 8 November 1941Charlton AthleticH2–1 6,320L. Smith, Hunt
12 15 November 1941West Ham UnitedH0–5 5,000
13 22 November 1941 Watford A 6–1 4,000 Hopkins (2), Perry (4)
14 29 November 1941 Aldershot H 5–1 4,410 Hopkins, Hunt (2), Townsend, Duns
15 6 December 1941Millwall A2–4 2,000Muttitt, Townsend
16 13 December 1941 Arsenal A 3–1 9,739 L. Smith, Duns, Perry
17 20 December 1941Queens Park RangersH4–3 3,500Townsend (3), Hunt
18 25 December 1941Reading A3–4 n/aTownsend, Hopkins, L. Smith
19 27 December 1941Brighton & Hove AlbionH4–2 5,000Townsend (2), Tooze (og), L. Smith
20 3 January 1942Clapton OrientH5–2 3,420Barnes (og), Holliday (2), McKenzie
21 10 January 1942Crystal PalaceA0–2 6,000
22 17 January 1942 Fulham H 2–3 3,000 L. Smith, Hopkins
23 31 January 1942 Portsmouth H 2–5 3,820 Wilkins, Holliday
24 7 February 1942 Chelsea A 1–1 3,135 Wilkins
25 14 February 1942 Charlton Athletic A 2–3 3,909 Perry, Duncan
26 21 February 1942 West Ham United A 1–2 4,000 Hunt
27 28 February 1942 Watford H 5–3 3,110 L. Smith, Hunt (2), Hopkins (2)
28 7 March 1942 Aldershot A 3–6 3,000 Hopkins, Hunt, McKenzie
29 14 March 1942 Millwall H 4–3 4,500 Hopkins, L. Smith, Cardwell (og), Hunt
30 25 April 1942 Tottenham Hotspur A 1–2 6,000 Sneddon

London War Cup

Round DateOpponentVenueResult AttendanceScorer(s) Notes
Grp 21 March 1942AldershotH6–2 5,120Hunt (2), L. Smith, Perry, Wilkins
Grp 28 March 1942MillwallH3–3 3,500Perry, McKenzie (pen)
Grp 4 April 1942Queens Park RangersA2–1 3,000Cheetham, Hunt
Grp 6 April 1942MillwallA2–2 n/aCheetham (2)
Grp 11 April 1942Queens Park RangersH1–0 7,310Perry
Grp 18 April 1942Aldershot A3–1 4,000Hopkins, L. Smith, J. Smith
SF 2 May 1942ArsenalN0–0 41,154 [nb 1]
SF (replay) 16 May 1942 Arsenal N 2–1 40,000 Wilkins, Hunt [nb 2]
F 30 May 1942PortsmouthN2–0 69,752L. Smith (2) [nb 3]

War Cup Winners' Match

DateOpponentVenueResult AttendanceScorer Notes
6 June 1942Wolverhampton WanderersN1–1 20,174Collett [nb 1]

Playing squad

Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1941–42 season.
Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in Notes
Defenders
DF Buster Brown England 6 September 1910 (aged 30) Huddersfield Town 1937
DF George Poyser England 6 February 1910 (aged 31) Port Vale 1934
Midfielders
HB Albert Aiken Ireland 29 October 1914 (aged 26) Glentoran 1937 Guest for Clapton Orient
HB Jack Holliday England 19 December 1908 (aged 32) Middlesbrough 1932
HB Joe James England 13 January 1910 (aged 31) Battersea Church 1929
HB Tom Manley England 7 October 1912 (aged 28) Manchester United 1939
HB Ernest Muttitt England 24 July 1908 (aged 33) Middlesbrough 1932
Forwards
FW Tommy Cheetham England 11 October 1910 (aged 30) Queens Park Rangers 1939 Guest for Lincoln City
FW Idris Hopkins Wales 11 October 1910 (aged 30) Crystal Palace 1932
FW Les Smith England 13 March 1918 (aged 23) Petersham 1934
FW Len Townsend England 31 August 1917 (aged 23) Hayes 1937 Guest for Chelsea
FW George Wilkins England 27 October 1919 (aged 21) Hayes 1939
Guest players
GK Sam Bartram England 22 January 1914 (aged 27) Charlton Athletic 1941 Guest from Charlton Athletic
GK Harry Brown England 9 April 1924 (aged 17) Queens Park Rangers 1942 Guest from Queens Park Rangers
GK Davison n/a n/a n/a 1941 Guest
GK Harry Dukes England 31 March 1912 (aged 29) Norwich City 1941 Guest from Norwich City
GK John Jackson Scotland 29 November 1906 (aged 34) Chelsea 1941 Guest from Chelsea
GK George Poland Wales 21 September 1913 (aged 27) Wrexham 1941 Guest from Wrexham
GK Jock Purdie England 24 May 1918 (aged 23) n/a 1942 Guest
GK Horace Rickett England 3 January 1912 (aged 29) Southend United 1942 Guest from Southend United
DF Doug Anderson Scotland 25 March 1914 (aged 27) Aberdeen 1941 Guest from Aberdeen
DF Harrison n/a n/a n/a 1941 Guest
HB Ernie Collett England 17 November 1914 (aged 26) Arsenal 1942 Guest from Arsenal
HB Duncan McKenzie Scotland 10 August 1912 (aged 29) Middlesbrough 1941 Guest from Middlesbrough
HB Tally Sneddon Scotland 1 April 1914 (aged 27) Swansea Town 1942 Guest from Swansea Town
HB Bill Whittaker England 20 December 1922 (aged 18) Charlton Athletic 1942 Guest from Charlton Athletic
FW Albert Bonass England 29 May 1911 (aged 30) Queens Park Rangers 1941 Guest from Queens Park Rangers
FW Duncan n/a n/a n/a 1942 Guest
FW Len Duns England 26 September 1916 (aged 24) Sunderland 1941 Guest from Sunderland
FW Douglas Hunt England 19 May 1914 (aged 27) Sheffield Wednesday 1942 Guest from Sheffield Wednesday
FW Eric Jones England 15 February 1915 (aged 26) West Bromwich Albion 1942 Guest from West Bromwich Albion
FW Tommy Kiernan Scotland 20 October 1918 (aged 22) Albion Rovers 1942 Guest from Albion Rovers
FW David McCulloch Scotland 5 October 1912 (aged 28) Derby County 1941 Guest from Derby County
FW Peacock n/a n/a n/a 1942 Guest
FW Eddie Perry Wales 19 January 1909 (aged 32) Doncaster Rovers 1941 Guest from Doncaster Rovers
FW Douglas Smale England 27 March 1916 (aged 25) Chelsea 1941 Guest from Chelsea
FW John Smith England 1921 (aged 20–21) Chelsea 1942 Guest from Chelsea
FW Trevor Smith England 8 September 1910 (aged 29) Crystal Palace 1941 Guest from Crystal Palace

Coaching staff

Name Role
England Harry Curtis Manager
Scotland Jimmy Bain Assistant Manager
England Bob Kane Trainer
England Jack Cartmell Assistant Trainer

Statistics

Appearances and goals

Pos Nat Name League L War Cup Cup Win. Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
DF EnglandBuster Brown29 0 9 0 1 0 39 0
DF England George Poyser 24 0 8 0 1 0 33 0
HB Ireland Albert Aiken 7 0 — — 7 0
HB England Jack Holliday 18 3 — — 18 3
HB England Joe James 30 1 7 0 1 0 38 1
HB England Ernest Muttitt 12 1 1 0 — 13 1
HB England Tom Manley — 1 0 — 1 0
FW England Tommy Cheetham — 2 3 — 2 3
FW Wales Idris Hopkins 28 11 9 1 1 0 38 12
FW England Les Smith 20 9 9 4 1 0 30 13
FW England Len Townsend 13 9 — — 13 9
FW England George Wilkins 17 5 7 3 1 0 25 8
Players guested during the season
GK England Harry Brown 1 0 1 0 — 2 0
GK n/a Davison 1 0 — — 1 0
GK England Harry Dukes 1 0 — — 1 0
GK Scotland John Jackson 8 0 3 0 1 0 12 0
GK Wales George Poland 14 0 5 0 — 19 0
GK England Jock Purdie 2 0 — — 2 0
GK England Horace Rickett 2 0 — — 2 0
GK England Sam Bartram 1 0 — — 1 0
DF Scotland Doug Anderson 5 0 — — 5 0
DF n/a Harrison 2 0 — — 2 0
HB England Ernie Collett — — 1 1 1 1
HB Scotland Duncan McKenzie 26 2 9 1 1 0 36 3
HB Scotland Tally Sneddon 8 1 8 0 — 16 1
HB England Bill Whittaker — 2 0 — 2 0
FW England Albert Bonass 1 0 — — 1 0
FW n/a Duncan 1 1 — — 1 1
FW England Len Duns 5 2 2 0 — 7 2
FW England Douglas Hunt 24 14 8 4 1 0 33 18
FW England Eric Jones 4 0 — — 4 0
FW Scotland Tommy Kiernan 1 0 — — 1 0
FW Scotland David McCulloch 1 0 — — 1 0
FW n/a Peacock 1 0 — — 1 0
FW Wales Eddie Perry 19 16 7 4 1 0 27 20
FW England Douglas Smale 3 1 — — 3 1
FW England John Smith — 1 1 — 1 1
FW England Trevor Smith 1 0 — — 1 0

Goalscorers

Pos. Nat Player LFL LWC CWM Total
FW Wales Eddie Perry 16 4 0 20
FW England Douglas Hunt 14 4 0 18
FW England Les Smith 9 4 0 13
FW Wales Idris Hopkins 11 1 0 12
FW England Len Townsend 9 — — 9
FW England George Wilkins 5 3 0 8
HB England Jack Holliday 3 — — 3
HB Scotland Duncan McKenzie 2 1 0 3
FW England Tommy Cheetham — 3 — 3
FW England Len Duns 2 0 — 2
FW n/a Duncan 1 — — 1
HB England Joe James 1 0 — 1
FW England Ernest Muttitt 1 0 — 1
FW England Douglas Smale 1 — — 1
HB Scotland Tally Sneddon 1 0 — 1
HB England Ernie Collett — — 1 1
FW England John Smith — 1 — 1
Opponents 4 0 0 4
Total80 21 1 102

Wartime international caps

Pos. Nat Player Caps Goals Ref
FW Wales Idris Hopkins 2 1 [12]
FW England Les Smith 1 0 [13]

Management

Name Nat From To Record All Comps Record League
PWDLW %PWDLW %
Harry Curtis England 30 August 1941 6 June 1942 40 20 6 14 50.00|30 14 2 14 46.67

Summary

Games played 40 (30 London League, 9 London War Cup, 1 War Cup Winners' Match)
Games won 20 (14 London League, 6 London War Cup, 0 War Cup Winners' Match)
Games drawn 6 (2 London League, 3 London War Cup, 1 War Cup Winners' Match)
Games lost 14 (14 London League, 0 London War Cup, 0 War Cup Winners' Match)
Goals scored 102 (80 London League, 21 London War Cup, 1 War Cup Winners' Match)
Goals conceded 87 (76 London League, 10 London War Cup, 1 War Cup Winners' Match)
Clean sheets 3 (0 London League, 3 London War Cup, 0 War Cup Winners' Match)
Biggest league win6–1 versus Watford, 22 November 1941
Worst league defeat 5–0 versus West Ham United, 15 November 1941
Most appearances 40, Buster Brown (29 London League, 9 London War Cup, 1 War Cup Winners' Match)
Top scorer (league)16, Eddie Perry
Top scorer (all competitions) 20, Eddie Perry

Transfers & loans

Guest players' arrival and departure dates correspond to their first and last appearances of the season.
Guest players in
Date from Pos. Name Previous Club Date to Ref.
30 August 1941 FW England Douglas Hunt England Sheffield Wednesday End of season [2]
30 August 1941 GK Scotland John Jackson England Chelsea End of season [2]
30 August 1941 HB Scotland Duncan McKenzie England Middlesbrough End of season [2]
30 August 1941 FW Wales Eddie Perry England Doncaster Rovers End of season [2]
6 September 1941 FW England Eric Jones England West Bromwich Albion 18 October 1941 [2]
11 October 1941 FW England Douglas Smale England Chelsea 3 January 1942 [2]
25 October 1941 GK England Sam Bartram England Charlton Athletic 25 October 1941 [2]
25 October 1941 FW England Albert Bonass England Queens Park Rangers 25 October 1941 [2]
25 October 1941 FW England Trevor Smith England Crystal Palace 25 October 1941 [2]
1 November 1941 GK Wales George Poland Wales Wrexham 25 April 1942 [2]
8 November 1941 FW Scotland David McCulloch England Derby County 8 November 1941 [2]
15 November 1941 GK England Harry Dukes England Norwich City 15 November 1941 [2]
29 November 1941 DF Scotland Doug Anderson Scotland Aberdeen 31 January 1942 [2]
29 November 1941 FW England Len Duns England Sunderland 18 April 1942 [2]
6 December 1941 GK Davison n/a 6 December 1941 [2]
27 December 1941 DF Harrison n/a 10 January 1942 [2]
27 December 1941 GK England Horace Rickett England Southend United 10 January 1942 [2]
17 January 1942 HB Scotland Tally Sneddon Wales Swansea Town 30 May 1942 [2]
7 February 1942 GK England Jock Purdie n/a 28 February 1942 [2]
14 February 1942 FW Duncan n/a 14 February 1942 [2]
7 March 1942 FW Peacock n/a 7 March 1942 [2]
14 March 1942 GK England Harry Brown England Queens Park Rangers 21 March 1942 [2]
11 April 1942 HB England Bill Whittaker England Charlton Athletic 18 April 1942 [2]
18 April 1942 FW England John Smith England Chelsea 18 April 1942 [2]
25 April 1942 FW Scotland Tommy Kiernan Scotland Albion Rovers 25 April 1942 [2]
6 June 1942 HB England Ernie Collett England Arsenal End of season [2]
Guest players out
Date from Pos. Name To Date to Ref.
30 August 1941 GK Scotland Joe Crozier Scotland Hibernian 4 July 1942 [14]
22 November 1941 FW England Tommy Cheetham England Lincoln City n/a [15]
n/a HB Ireland Albert Aiken England Clapton Orient n/a [1]
n/a FW England Len Townsend England Chelsea n/a [1]
Players released
Date Pos. Name Subsequent club Join date Ref.
2 March 1942 FW England Percy Saunders Killed in action [8]

Notes

  1. 1 2 Match played at Stamford Bridge, London.
  2. ↑ Match played at White Hart Lane, London.
  3. ↑ Match played at Wembley Stadium, London.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 White 1989, p. 171-173.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 376. ISBN 0951526200.
  3. 1 2 "England 1941/42". www.rsssf.com. Retrieved 2016-06-21.
  4. ↑ White 1989, p. 169-170.
  5. 1 2 McColl, Brian (2014). A Record of British Wartime Football. lulu.com. p. 149. ISBN 1291840893.
  6. ↑ History. "Brentford FC History". www.brentfordfc.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-06-21.
  7. ↑ Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopedia. Harefield, Middlesex: Yore Publications. p. 84. ISBN 1 874427 57 7.
  8. 1 2 Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 141.
  9. 1 2 White 1989, p. 375.
  10. ↑ Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920-2006. Yore Publications. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  11. ↑ Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. ISBN 190589161X.
  12. ↑ "Dai Hopkins". 11v11.com. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  13. ↑ "Les Smith". 11v11.com. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  14. ↑ "Hibernian Player Joseph Crozier, Games Played". www.fitbastats.com. Retrieved 2016-06-26.
  15. ↑ Vickers, John. "The Lincoln City FC Archive". www.redimps.com. Retrieved 2016-06-26.
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